A wealth of experience with imported horses has taught Matt Smith that time and patience are key, so he is happy to take small steps with two of his latest acquisitions. 

Former Europeans Ashim and Montabot will head to Randwick on Saturday to contest the Midway Handicap (1300m) and Schweppes Handicap (2000m) respectively. 

The pair were sourced by Terry Henderson's OTI Racing, which has entrusted Smith with many of its overseas imports including stakes winners Grey Lion and Attorney. 

"It's their first preparation here, you're learning what they like and don't like, how they need to be ridden. It's like starting again. Attorney, it took us a couple of preps to sort him out," Smith said. 

"We had a bad prep in there where things just went wrong and then he came out his next prep and won a couple of stakes races and went on with the job, so they do take a few preps." 

Both Ashim and Montabot will be lining up for just their second starts for Smith. 

Ashim finished a respectable fourth to Papal Warrior on a heavy track at his Australian debut last month when Smith said the horse handled the conditions well, but his fitness gave out over the final stages. 

"He's in his first preparation in Australia and still acclimatising, so his first-up run was great and I think he's improved off the back of that," he said. 

"I expect him to run a good race on Saturday." 

Montabot was soundly beaten behind Oscar Zulu over 1500m on the same Rosehill program but Smith wasn't disappointed in the effort. 

"It was just a bit short for him, that's all," Smith said. 

"He's an on-pace horse, when you get him up to 2400 metres he races on the speed. He's also in that acclimatisation period and a couple of runs will sort him out. " 

The Randwick track remained a soft 7 on Friday morning but that is expected to change with heavy rain forecast.